Building structures



Oct. 28, 1958 r J. w. TROSTLE 2,857,861

BUILDING STRUCTURES Filed May 16, 1955 l 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 0 o o o 52 I, f 22 x44 68 l0 0 o 6 0 0 0 6 a 2 I6 JNVENTOI;

JOHN W. TROSTLiE i /d'w ATTORNEY.

Oct. 28, 1958 J. w. TROSTLE 2,857,861

BUILDING STRUCTURES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 16, 1955 INVEN TOR.

JOHN W. TROSTLE United States Patent BUILDING STRUCTURES John W; Trostle, New Kensington, Pa., assignor to Aluminum Company of America, Pittsburgh, Pa., a cor poration of Pennsylvania Application May 16, 1955, Serial No. 508,662

7 Claims. (Cl. 108-26) This invention relates in general to building structures and is :more specifically concerned with substantially fiat roof, marginal edge terminal systems incorporating fascia,

cantstrip and gravel stop features.

It is an object of the invention to provide prefabri-. cated fascia members incorporating attaching means devoid of through or in-the-wall flashing devices.

It is another object of the invention to provide fascia members incorporating unitary or integral supporting means therefor.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fascia member incorporating a unitary or integral cant strip and/or gravel stop.

A further object is to provide a fascia member in combination with. means for preventing disfiguration of a building wall associated therewith, as a result of seepage of the normal roofing preparations and saturants employed in composition built-up roofing materials.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in this art, reference. being now made to the following specification and appended drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 represents a fragmentary perspective View, with portions broken away, of a building wall and roof incorporating one embodiment of the invention;

Fig.2 represents a cross-sectional elevation taken on the plane Il-II of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 represents a fragmentary top plan view of an inside welded mitered corner of the installation of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 represents a fragmentary top plan view of an outside weldedmitered corner of the installation of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 represents a fragmentary perspective view of a building wall and roof incorporating a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 6 represents a cross-sectional elevation taken on the plane VIVI of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 represents a fragmentary top plan view of an inside welded'corner of the installation of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 8 represents a fragmentary top plan view of an outside welded mitered corner of the installation of Fig. 5.

In general terms, the terminal systems contemplated withinthe concept ofthe invention incorporate protective fascia or edging members, for terminating the upper marginal edge of theexterior wall or walls of substantially flat-roof buildings, which systems add protective structural and architectural appeal to a building. The terminal systems generally comprise fascia members incorporating unitary attaching means, which avoid the necessity of through or in-the-Wall flashing, in combination with associated means for preventing discharge or seepage ofthe normally employed built-up roofing material saturants and adhesives, such as pitch, tar, and the like, down the exposed Walls of a building provided with the terminal systems-of the invention. In addition, the fascia members preferablyincorporate unitary or integral cant strip and/or gravel stop elements and features, as will be more definitely described hereinafter.

Although the terminal systems of the inventionare preferably contemplated as prefabricated devices, in

manufacture in the production of indeterminate lengths of the fascia or edging members satisfying the requirements of the invention, sheet metal technique and equipment may also be employed for shop or in-the-field fabrication of the structures of the invention.

Referring in more detail to the drawings appended hereto, Figs. 1 through 4 illustrate one embodiment of the invention. Therein a building structure is illustrated comprising an exterior building-enclosing wall 1*!) provided with a substantially level marginal wood nailing strip 14 secured thereon by suitable anchor bolts 16. A substantially flat roof deck\18. of insulating tile, wood, or the like supports several layers 22 of built-up roofing material, the marginal edge of the wall being provided with an extruded or angularly formed sheet metal dam 20 to insure against seepage and discharge of pitch, tar, or other forms of built-up roofing saturant down the exposed face of the building wall 10.

The roof terminal system of Figs. 1 through 4 comprises a combination integral fascia, cant strip and gravel stop represented in its entirety by the reference numeral 24. The front exposed depending leg 26 preferably extends below the roof level and serves as a front fascia band, the depth of which is selected to meet architectural design and functional requirements of a fascia member. A unitary or integral rearwardly sloping cant strip and gravel stop surface 28 projects inwardly over the substantially flat roof and terminates in a feathered rear edge 38. A rearwardlyprojecting front ledge or'spaced localized feet 30, connected to the rear face of the fascia leg 26 byan angularly and rearwardly sloping connecting rib 32, and a forwardly projecting rear ledge or spaced localized feet 34, connected to the underside of the sloping surface 28, provide supporting surfaces in a common plane for the members 24, and an attaching screw recess 36 is provided adjacent the rear supporting ledge 34 in advance of the feathered terminal edge 38.

The downwardly depending portion of the fascia leg 26 of the terminal system of the invention is preferably provided with inwardly projecting ribs 40 and 42, which reinforce the same as well as serving to restrict and catch any excess roof saturant that might overflow the dam 20 as a result of too liberal an application of the same or any excess flow caused by excessive temperature changes. It

by endweldingpreviously severed lengths of the combine tion fascia section 24 at 68, and each unit is secured in place on the roof by means of two or more screws, or similar fastening elements 35, driven into and through the bottom wall of the recess 3. Straight lengths of the aforedescribed combination fascia member 24 are thereafter arranged in end-to-end spaced relationship in respect to adjacent ends of the welded mitered corner units 64and 66, as well as in end-to-end spaced relationship in respect to each other, to complete the lineal marginal roof requirements of the building under construction or renovation.

Anchor plates 44 are thereafter entered between the spaced ends of the fascia members 24 and/or mitered corner units 64 and 66 and placed on the upper surfaces of the supporting ledges or spaced localized feet 30 and 34 flanking the aforesaid spaces, where they are se-- Patented Oct. 28, 1958.

cured in place by means of screws 46, or the like. The rear edge of each of the members 24 is also drawn into firm attachment to the roof surface by means of the additional fasteners 35, such as nails, screws or the like.

One or more layers of built-up exterior roof covering 48 is laid on the roof surface and is continued up the rearwardly sloping surface presented by the cant strip and gravel stop surface 28. The outer covering 48 serves as a flashing overlying the terminal system and is not necessarily required over the entire surface area of the roof deck 18.

A cover strip 54 is employed to span and close the gap or space between adjacent ends of the fascia members 24, as well as the space between a fascia member 24 and a mitered corner member 64 or 66. The cover strip 54 is substantially rectangular in shape and is preferably prefabricated with a hook configuration along one narrow edge thereof for hook-engagement at 56 with the lower bottom edge of adjacent depending front legs 26 of the fascia members 24, and mitered corner units 64 and 66 on either side of the gap between adjacent ends thereof. Thereafter the cover strip in each instance is drawn tightly upwardly and has its opposite narrow edge turned under a flashing flange 50, at 58, in its position illustrated to best advantage in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The flange 50 is thereafter bent downwardly into clamping relationship on the outer roof flashing 48, which installation operation draws the cover strip 54 into close conformity with its underlying structure as well as securely clamping the upper edge of flashing 48. To assist in the downward bending of flange 50 into clamping relationship, as illustrated in full lines in Fig. 2, the flange 50 is preferably relieved at 52 to appreciably reduce the cross-sectional thickness of its integral connection to the fascia leg 26.

If desired, fasteners 60, such as self tapping screws or the like, may be employed in lineally spaced arrangement along the length of the flanges 50 to extend into the underlying surface 28. When employed, only one such fastener 60 is recomended through each cover strip 54 to insure against unsightly buckling of a cover strip as a result of relative movement between adjacent spaced members flanking the space so covered.

An application of gravel 62 may now be laid on the exposed roof surface, the completed marginally faced building wall presenting a uniform exposed fascia and rearwardly sloping cant strip and gravel stop in respect to the roof associated with the building Wall.

Figs. 5 through 8 illustrate a second embodiment of the invention. The substantially flat roof marginal edge terminating system of this embodiment is shown in its adaptation to a building comprising an exterior wall 70 in association with a roof deck 72, the marginal outer edge of which is provided with a substantially level marginal wood nailing strip anchored to the wall by means of anchor bolts '74. Several layers of built-up composition roofing material, such as roofing felt 80, are supported on the deck surface 72 and an extruded or angularly bent sheet metal dam 78 is provided along the top marginal edge of the exterior wall 70 to insure against seepage and discharge of pitch, tar, or other form of built-up roof saturant down the exposed face of the wall 70.

The roof terminal system of Figs. 5 through 8 comprises a combination integral fascia, cant strip and gravel stop represented in its entirety by the reference numeral 82. A front exposed and depending leg portion 84 thereof extends above and below the plane of the roof, the portion of the leg 84 above the roof level serving as a gravel stop and a rearwardly sloping portion 86 thereof serving as a cant strip. A substantially horizontal extension 88 leading rearwardly from the lower end of the sloping cant strip surface 86 serves as a supporting and attaching flange for the terminal system herein described, fastening means 90, such as screws, nails, or the like extending through the flange 88 into the underlying roof deck 72 4 affording attachment to the building. As in the previously described form of terminal system, the front fascia leg 84 is preferably provided with inwardly projecting ribs 94 and 96 which reinforce the same, as well as serving to restrict and catch any excess roof saturant that might overflow the dam 78. It will also be observed that the dam 78 is received within the triangular recess formed by the rear surface of the depending fascia leg 84 and angularly sloping cant strip surface 86.

In erecting or installing the terminal system of Figs. 5 through 8, inside and outside welded mitered corner assemblies or units 106 and/or 108, respectively, are first mounted on the roof surface to suit its marginal exposed wall corner requirements. The inside and outside corner units 106 and 108 are preferably assembled by end welding previously severed lengths of the members 82 at 112, and each corner unit is secured on the roof surface by means of the fastener elements 90. Straight lengths of the aforedescribed combination fascia members 82 are thereafter arranged in end-to-end spaced relationship in respect to each other and the ends of adjacent mitered corner units 106 and/or 108 to provide expansion joints therebetween.

Expansion joint covers 98, which may be formed from sheet metal, but are preferably severed from material extruded to accurate dimensional thickness and crosssectional configuration to conform with the exposed surface and cross-section of the combination fascia members 82 are preferably slid or telescoped over the individual lengths of the terminal system before their permanent attachment to the roof surface and are there after translated into position over the expansion joint formed between the adjacent end-to-end spaced members. To satisfy these requirements, the cover members 98 are provided with a lower marginal hook portion 100, an upper return bend portion 102 and a rear curled marginal edge 104. In position over the expansion joints, the cover members 98 are preferably secured in place by suitable fasteners, such as the aforementioned screws 90, extending through the same, into and through the underlying roofing material 80, and into the roof deck 72 exposed between adjacent spaced elements of the terminal system aforedescribed.

An out-er flashing layer, or layers, of built-up impregnated roofing material 92 is thereafter laid in place' and carried to the lower edge of the sloping cant strip surface 86, sufficient tar, pitch, or other accepted and approved waterproof adhesive being first laid down to secure the flashing 92. Gravel 110 may thereafter be applied on the roof surface, as desired.

The substantially flat roof terminal systems aforedescribed provide unitary or integral one-piece structures combining a fascia, cant strip and gravel stop. Their method of installation avoids the necessity of through or in-the-wall flashing construction, and provides effective expansion joints in installations of the systems, satisfying the most exacting building construction specifications.

Both embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 6, are sufficiently flexible in their design to permit manufacture of separate elements which can be assembled into unitary structures incorporating all of the essential features prescribed for each structure. In this respect, the lower terminal edges of the depending fascia legs 26 and 84, including the ribs 40 and 94, respectively, could be fabricated in a manner to provide attachment means for added depending fascia members to thereby increase the overall depth of the fascia band in accordance with architectural requirements in any particular instance.

Extrusion practice is the preferred method of fabricating the terminal systems of the invention. However, the combination fascia, cant strip and gravel stop members 24 and 82 could be built-up from separate extruded shapes, or from sheet metal, or from combinations of both, and unitarily assembled into one-piece units.

1. In a flat. roof construction having a substantially flat roof deck supporting-a composition roofing material subject to saturant seepage, a marginal edge terminal system for the roof construction comprising ,a saturant retaining dam secured to the. roof deck adjacent its marginal edge, said dam having a substantially flat portion underlying the roofing material in. contact with the roof deck and anupwardly extending portion marginally exterior to.the roofing material, the upwardly extending portion terminating above the upper surface of theroofing material; a front fascia band disposed in a substantially vertical plane in overhanging spaced relationship to the dam and marginal edge of the, roof deck, the vertical depth of the fascia band extending above the upper ter-,

2. In a flat roof construction having a substantially-flatroof deck supporting a composition roofing material subject to saturant seepage, a marginal edge terminal system for the roof construction comprising a saturant retaining dam secured to the roof deck adjacent its marginal edge; saidjdam having a substantially fiat portion underlying the roofing material in contact with the. roof deck; and an upwardly extending portion marginally exterior to the roofing material, the upwardly extending portion terminating above the upper surface of the roofing material, a unitary front fascia band, gravel stop and cant strip device disposed with,its,fascia band inta substantially vertical plane in overhanging spaced relationship to the dam and marginal edge of the roof deck, the vertical depth of the fascia band extending above the upperterminal edge of the dam and below the. plane'of the roof deck, a rearwardly and downwardly sloping web rigidly attached to the rear face of the fascia band above the upper terminal edge of the dam and terminating in a supporting ledge in contact with the upper surface of the roofing material, said web and fascia band forming a downwardly open recess into which the upwardly extending portion of the dam extends, fascia band securing means engaging the supporting ledge and fastened into the roof deck, and a second rearwardly and downwardly sloping Web rigidly attached to the rear face of the fascia band above said first-mentioned web and terminating in a feathered edge in the plane of the upper surface of the roofing material, said second-mentioned web serving as a gravel stop and cant strip surface.

3. In a flat roof construction having a substantially flat roof deck supporting a composition roofing material subject to saturant seepage, a marginal edge terminalv system for the roof construction comprising a saturant retaining dam secured to the roof deck adjacent its marginal edge, said dam having a substantially flat portion underlying the roofing material in contact with the roof deck and an upwardly extending portion marginally exterioir to the roofing material, the upwardly extending portion terminating above the upper surface of the roofing material, a unitary front fascia band, gravel stop and cant strip device disposed with its fascia band in a substantially vertical plane in overhanging spaced relationship to the dam and marginal edge of the roof deck, the

vertical depth of the fascia band extending, above the upper terminal edge of the dam and below the plane of the roof deck, a rearwardly and downwardly sloping web,

rigidly attached to the rear face of the fascia. band above the upper terminal edge of the dam and terminating in a supporting ledge in contact with the upper surface of. the roofing material, said web, and fascia band forming a downwardly open recess into which. the upwardly ex,

tending portion of the dam extends, a second. rearwardly and downwardly sloping web rigidly attached to the rear face of, the fascia band above said first-mentioned web andflerminating' in a feathered edge in the plane of the upper surface of the roofing material, said second-mentioned sloping web serving as a gravel stop and cant strip surface, a second supporting ledge attached to the underside of the second-mentioned sloping Web and disposedin contact with the upper surface of the roofing material', and an anchor means for the unitary front fascia, gravel stop and cantjstrip device in overlying engagement with both supporting ledges and secured into the roof deck;

4. In a flat roof construction having a substantially flat roof deck supporting a composition roofing material subject to saturant seepage, a marginaledge terminal system for the roof construction comprising a saturant retaining darn secured to the roof deck adjacent its marginal edge, said dam having a substantially flat portion underlying the roofing material in contact with the roof deck and an upwardly extending portion marginally exterior to the roofing material, the upwardly extending portion terminating above the upper surface of the roofing material, a front fascia band disposed in, a substantially vertical plane in overhanging spaced relationshipjto the dam and marginal edge of the roof deck, the vertical depth of the fascia band extending above the upper term. inal edge of the dam and below the plane of the roof deck, the upper terminal edge of the fascia band terminating in a rearwardly bendable flashing flange, a rearwardly and downwardly sloping web rigidly attached to "the rear face of the fascia band above the upper terminal edge of the dam and terminating in a supporting ledge in the plane of the upper surface of the roofing material, said web andfascia band forming a downwardly open recess into which the upwardly extending portion of the dam extends, fascia band securing means engaging the supporting ledge and fastened into the roof deck, a second rearwardly and downwardly sloping web rigidly attached to the rear face of the fascia band immediately below the bendable flashing flange and terminatingin a feathered edge in the plane of the upper surface of the roofing material, said second-mentioned sloping web serving as a gravel stop and cant strip surface, a layer of composition roofing material extending up the sloping gravel stop and cant strip surface and terminating beneath the bendable flashing flange, and said bendable flashing flange being bent downwardly into compressive engaging relationship on the composition roofing material. supported on the sloping gravel stop and cant strip surface.

5. In a flat roof construction having a substantially flat roof deck supporting a composition roofing material subject to saturant seepage, a marginal edge terminal system for the roof construction comprising a saturant retaining dam secured to the roof deck adjacent its marginal edge, said dam having a substantially flat portion underlying the roofing material in contact with the roof deck and an upwardly extending portion marginally exterior to the roofing material, the upwardly extending portion terminating above the upper surface of the roofing material, a front fascia band disposed in a substantially vertical plane in overhanging spaced relationship to the dam and marginal edge of the roof deck, the vertical depth of the fascia band extending above the upper terminal edge of the dam and below the plane of the roof deck, the upper terminal edge of the fascia band terminating in a rearwardly bendable flashing flange, a

rearwardly and downwardly sloping web rigidly attached to the rear face of the fascia band above the upper terminal edge of the dam and terminating in a supporting ledge in the plane of the upper surface of the roofing material, said web and fascia band forming a downwardly open recess into which the upwardly extending portion of the dam extends, a second rearwardly and downwardly sloping web rigidly attached to the rear fascia band immediately below the bendable flashing flange and terminating in a feathered edge in the plane of the upper surface of the roofing material, said second-mentioned sloping web serving as a gravel stop and cant strip surface, a second supporting ledge attached to the underside of the second-mentioned sloping web and disposed in the plane of the upper surface of the roofing material, an anchor means in overlying engagement with both supporting ledges and secured into the roof deck, a depressed recess in the second-mentioned sloping web in advance of its feathered edge for receiving additional securing means driven into the roof deck, and a layer of composition roofing material extending up the sloping gravel stop and cant strip surface over the depressed recess and terminating beneath the bendable flashing flange compressed downwardly into engagement with the layer of composition roofing material underlying the same.

6. A one-piece combination fascia band, gravel stop and cant strip device for installation as a terminal system for the marginal edge of a substantially flat roof deck supporting a saturated roofing material subject to saturant seepage, and wherein a saturant dam is secured to the roof deck and projects laterally beyond and above the marginal edge of the upper surface of the roofing material, said one-piece combination device comprising a substantially vertically disposed web providing a front fascia band, a contiguous rearwardly bendable flashing flange along the upper terminal edge of the fascia band, a rearwardly and downwardly sloping web integrally connected to the rear face of the fascia band immediately below the flashing flange and serving as a gravel stop and cant strip surface against which the bendable flashing flange is pressed in bearing contact with a layer of roofing material supported thereon and therebetween, a second rearwardly and downwardly sloping web integrally attached to the rear face of the fascia band intermediate the first-mentioned sloping web and the lower terminal edge of the fascia band, said second-mentioned and first-mentioned sloping webs each having integral supporting ledges extending towards each other in spaced relationship in a common plane and said second-mentioned sloping web constituting with the rear face of the fascia band a downwardly open recess capable of receiving the saturant dam on telescopic placement of the one-piece combination device downwardly over the saturant dam.

7. In a flat roof construction having a substantially flat roof deck supporting a composition roofing material subject to saturant seepage, a marginal edge terminal system for the roof construction comprising a saturant retaining dam secured to the roof deck adjacent its marginal edge, said dam having a substantially flat portion underlying the roofing material in contact with the roof deck and an upwardly extending portion marginally exterior to the roofing material, the upwardly extending portion terminating above the upper surface of the roofing material, a front fascia band disposed in a substantially vertical plane in overhanging spaced relationship to the dam and marginal edge of the roof deck, the vertical depth of the fascia band extending above the upper terminal edge of the dam and below the plane of the roof deck, a web rigidly attached to the rear face of the fascia band above the upper terminal edge of the dam and extending rearwardly away therefrom and downwardly into attachment with a supporting ledge in contact with the upper surface of the roofing material, said web and rear face of the fascia band forming a downwardly open recess into which the upper terminal edge of the darn extends, and fascia band securing means engaging the supporting ledge and fastened into the roof deck.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,480,246 Douglas Jan. 8, 1924 1,668,957 Frentzen May 8, 1928 2,041,929 Hitzman May 26, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS 21,602 Switzerland Mar. 8, 1901 OTHER REFERENCES Sweets File, Architectural 1952, Sec. 6a/RC, page 9. Heating, Air Conditioning Sheet Metal Contr. 0 February 1955, page 60. 

